Girl Talk
by AquilaTempestas
Summary: Shira and Ellie discuss the concept of mating.


**Disclaimer**

I do not own Ice Age unfortunately

**Title**

Girl Talk

**Summary**

Shira and Ellie discuss the concept of mating.

**.**

There was a change in the air... and no, it wasn't the gas from Sid's behind. It was something else; mating season had begun again. The two adult females in the herd sat next to each other, their eyes glancing over the cliff top and onto the sparse land below them. Nothing much was happening at this time of the year.

"Any plans to add more members to the family soon?" Shira asked, turning her head left to look at Ellie, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Ellie shook her trunk. "I don't know actually, Manny and I have never really talked about it." Although it would probably be a good time to start with the mating season now before them. Peaches was a teenager now and no longer needed her parents' constant care and affection. It would be nice to have another mammoth to look after again and nurture. But did Manny want another child?

"Is it hard to raise children?" the female sabre asked.

Ellie lifted her trunk and pushed Shira lightly, followed by a light-hearted chuckle. "Are you planning on having your own?"

Rolling her eyes, Shira laughed. "Never considered it, Diego never brings it up. I think he's scared."

"Scared, of what?"

"I don't think he's ever been with a female sabre before."

The grin on Ellie's face widened, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "I never thought Diego would be the insecure type." She had always viewed him as the arrogant, proud male bachelor, but it appeared there was more to him than what met the eye. "Have you been with a male sabre before? Manny was my first and I was his."

Shira sighed. "I've never been with another male sabre, but Diego seems to turn into a cub everytime I ask him the question. He freezes and refuses to talk or move until I change the topic," she said, lifting a paw from the ground and looking at it. She noticed a tiny piece of deer meet caught in between her claws. Lowering her head down, she pulled the piece out and threw it aside with her teeth.

"I don't know what he's so afraid of, mating isn't scary," Ellie said, then frowned. "Unless he's really heavy, I swear Manny is fat for a mammoth."

Shira had to laugh at that. "Lucky for me Diego isn't much bigger," she said, her laughter dying. "I think he's afraid of hurting me, I've heard stories from my mum mating isn't a pleasurable experience." She remembered her mother telling her it was common for males to hold the female down with his jaws around her neck during the process and sometimes the males were too rough. It wasn't something that made Shira yearn to have children. But still, the thought of having four tiny cubs to look after made a part of her happy. "Mum said it was incredibly painful."

"It'll be worth it in the end."

Shira wished she could be as confident as Ellie, but she didn't understand. She was a mammoth, not a sabre. "So, how did Manny seduce you?"

Ellie's mouth broke into a wide grin, as the memories raced through her mind. It had been a long ordeal ranging from her stubborn defiance to admit she was a mammoth to Manny saving her. But she knew that wasn't the answer Shira was looking for. She wanted the gritty details. "Well, it's common for the males to start it and us female mammoths to ignore. If he gives up, he's not worth it. A persistent man is one who loves you. It usually involves nuzzling and trunk intertwining. It lasts about a couple of days. What about sabres?" She found it difficult to imagine Diego nuzzling Shira.

"Well, I caught my parents at it once," she started, shuddering at the memory. She remembered it all too clearly as if it had just occurred the day before. "My mother would start it just so my father would get the hint." Silly males, so clueless, she thought. "She'd flirt with him, tease him until he realized what she wanted. It was better than saying, 'mount me'."

Ellie laughed at the comment. "I'm guessing your teasing involves rolling around on the floor and nuzzling him?"

Shira nodded. "Yeah, simple stuff like that just so he understands, male sabres are quite the clueless lot." Now that she thought about it, she remembered her mother complaining about how her father wouldn't understand what love was until it bit him in the behind. "Mating lasts for two days and the actual deed occurs every thirty minutes. It usually wears him out."

"Sounds pretty full on."

"Mum said it hurt like hell when he withdrew." Not that she knew what that meant, she hadn't dared to ask. "She made it sound like some sort of battle. And yet... she willingly did it when the opportunity arose."

"It's because it's worth it," Ellie said, wrapping her trunk around herself. "I say take the chance Shira, otherwise you'll never know what you missed out on. You'll just have to convince Diego it's worth it otherwise he could end up like Sid and end up having to adopt."

That was true. She didn't think Diego would like the thought of being compared to Sid. He was a proud male after all, and she a proud female. A match made in heaven. "I'll see if he's willing... there's not much time left for me." Five days and tiger mating season would be over for another year. But did she have the courage to seduce him? It was times like these she wished she was a different creature where males did most of the flirting. It would save her a lot of trouble. She pushed herself up from the ground and gave Ellie a sheepish grin.

"You can do it girl, have courage!" Ellie said, winking.

Shira took in a deep breath and began to look for her mate.

.

Not really sure where this one came from, but it was certainly fun writing it! As always, reviews much appreciated.


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